Samsung SmartThings Hub

With support for many Z-Wave, Zigbee, and Wi-Fi devices, the Samsung SmartThings Hub is one of the most versatile home automation hubs around.

John R. Delaney

11 Nov 2015, 3:09 a.m.

When we reviewed the original SmartThings Hub last year, we were impressed by its ability to work with multiple wireless protocols, as well as its support for user-created Smart Apps and If This Then That (IFTTT) recipes. We griped about its lack of camera support, but that didn't prevent it from earning our Editors' Choice award for home automation hubs. Samsung acquired SmartThings last year, and the new Samsung SmartThings Hub ($99) offers several improvements over the original model, including a more powerful processor with video camera support, a battery backup, and USB and Bluetooth connectivity. It's a breeze to install and lets you control more devices from your smartphone than any other hub, making it our new Editors' Choice.

Design and Features Samsung sells the SmartThings Hub on its own, or bundled in a Home Monitoring Kit ($249). The Home Monitoring Kit includes two multipurpose sensors that monitor temperature and vibration and let you know when doors or windows are open, a motion sensor that also monitors temperature, and a smart outlet.

The hub itself sports the same glossy white finish as the original model, but at 1.3 by 4.2 by 4.9 inches (HWD), it's a shade smaller. The back edge of the hub holds an Ethernet port, two USB ports, and a power jack, while the front edge has a single small status LED.

In addition to Z-Wave, Zigbee, and Wi-Fi radios, the hub contains Bluetooth circuitry but it is not yet activated. The upgraded CPU can process certain automation commands locally, which allows for enhanced performance and continued operation if you lose your network connection. It can also process video from compatible security cameras so you can view live and recorded video from within the app, a key feature that was missing in the first model. Moreover, you can have a connected camera begin recording when triggered by other SmartThings devices, such as a motion detector or a window sensor. By way of comparison, the iSmartAlarm Premium Package lacks the ability to record video, as well as support for Z-Wave and Zigbee devices.

Thanks to an active developer community, the SmartThings Labs development group, and an impressive list of vendors enrolled in the Works with SmartThings certification program, there are close to 200 compatible products that can be controlled through the hub. The list includes thermostats, lighting products, door locks, dimmer switches, video cameras, garage door openers, audio devices, and smoke detectors, among other things. There are a variety of SmartApps available that make it easy to have these devices interact with each other, and you can create IFTTT recipes to make things happen according to Web-based event triggers.

The hub uses a newly designed app for Android, iOS, and Windows mobile devices. It took me a little while to get used to the new layout, but once I became familiar with it I found it to be well-organized and a bit more user-friendly than the previous version. It offers plenty of in-app and online help, including step-by-step instructions and videos.

The app opens to the Smart Home Monitor page, which shows you the current status of your home at a glance. It'll tell you that everything is OK, or if an event has taken place such as a leak or an intrusion. This is where you go to configure smoke, leak, and security alerts, and to configure the Smart Home Monitor which has three alarm states. Arm (Away) is for when nobody is home and all sensors are active, Arm (Stay) is for when the home is occupied and only select sensors are active, and Disarm disables all sensors and alarms. You can press a button to enable a desired state, or use geofencing to automatically arm and disarm the Smart Home Monitor system (geofencing uses your smartphone's location services feature to trigger certain events based on where you are).

The Home page contains tabs for Rooms, SmartApps, Family, and Things (as with the original SmartThings hub, devices that are connected to the hub are referred to as Things). Along the bottom of the screen are hot keys that take you back to the Smart Home Monitor page, the Routines page, the Notifications page, or the Marketplace page.

When you add a device you must assign it to a room. You can see a list of installed devices grouped by room on the Rooms page, or individually on the Things page. Tapping on any device lets you see its current status, recent activity history, and any SmartApps associated with the device. Here you can also edit or remove a device and turn it on or off. The SmartApps page displays a list of all SmartApps that have been installed, and the Family page keeps tabs on family members that have presence sensors, or by tracking their whereabouts using their smartphone's location services.

The Routines page is where you go to have devices behave a certain way depending on your daily routine. You can use the four default phrases including I'm Back (to trigger Home Mode), Good Night (to trigger Night Mode), Goodbye (to trigger Away mode), and Good Morning (to trigger Home mode). You can configure each Routine to have any connected device turn on or off or react in a certain way, and you can create your own custom Routine. The current Routine mode is displayed on the Home page. On the Notifications page you can view messages such as which Routines have been activated and when, and you can view an Activity Feed that shows what has been going on with each device (such as doors unlocked or motion detected).

Finally, the Marketplace is where you go to connect new devices and select SmartApps. Clicking the Things tab while in the Marketplace displays a list of device categories such as Lights & Switches, Climate Control, and Health & Fitness. Within each category are lists of specific devices that you can add to the hub. There's also a SmartThings Recommends category containing certified devices. Clicking the SmartApps tab in Marketplace displays a list of available SmartApps for each device category. Simply choose a SmartApp to install and configure it. For example, you can have the Ready For Rain SmartApp send a push notification if doors or windows are open when bad weather is in the forecast.

Installation and Performance Installating the hub was straightforward and fast. I downloaded the app, created an account, and entered the Welcome Code included in the box. I then followed the app's step-by-step installation instructions. I installed four AA batteries (included) for the battery backup, connected the hub to my router, and powered it up. The hub cannot connect to your router wirelessly, like the Winkhub; it requires a wired Ethernet connection. After connecting it my router with the incuded cable, I gave my home a name in the app and entered my location to enable geofencing triggering. The geofence perimeter is 500 feet by default, but you can make it as big as you want by tapping and dragging the fence outward.

You can choose Connect Now to have the hub search for compatible devices or select a device from an extensive list. I removed the battery tabs from the two multipurpose sensors and a motion sensor, and plugged in the smart power outlet, then hit Connect Now. The hub discovered each device within seconds. It also had no trouble discovering a 100dB Aeotec Siren, a SmartThings Water Leak Sensor, and a D-Link DCS-2330L Camera.

The SmartThings Hub worked flawlessly. I received notifications instantly whenever a connected window sensor was opened or closed, and when the motion detector sensed activity. The sensors also reported accurate room temperatures. Results were the same for the leak detector. The Aeon siren reacted instantly to the security SmartApp that links it to the motion detector.

The hub armed and disarmed itself each and every time I left my geofence perimeter. I installed a SmartApp to have the D-Link DCS-2230L begin recording whenever the motion detector was tripped, and it too worked perfectly. However, live video, when viewed through the SmartThings app, had a noticeable lag of around eight seconds.

Conclusion The Samsung SmartThings Hub is the most versatile home automation hub we've tested. It can control close to 200 Z-Wave, Zigbee, and Wi-Fi devices, and its new and improved app makes it easy to add and manage those devices from your smartphone. The constantly growing SmartApps library offers a wealth of options that let you find new ways to have your home automation devices work in harmony, and the added support for in-app video and video cameras is a welcome upgrade, despite the lag. As such, the Samsung SmartThings Hub is our new Editors' Choice for home automation hubs.

Hub

The hub sports the same glossy white finish as the previous model, but at 1.3 by 4.2 by 4.9 inches (HWD), it's a shade smaller.

Status

The app opens to the Smart Home Monitor page, which shows you the current status of your home at a glance.

Things

When you add a device you must assign it to a room. You can see a list of installed devices grouped by room on the Rooms page, or individually on the Things page.

Monitor

The Smart Home Monitor has three alarm states: Arm (Away) is for when nobody is home and all sensors are active, Arm (Stay) is for when the home is occupied and only select sensors are active, and Disarm disables all sensors and alarms.

Notifications

On the Notifications page you can view messages such as which Routines have been activated and when, and you can view an Activity Feed that shows what has been going on with each device (such as doors unlocked, motion detected, etc.).

About the Author

As a Contributing Editor for PC Magazine, John Delaney has been testing and reviewing monitors, HDTVs, PCs, servers, and other assorted hardware and peripherals for more than 14 years. A 13-year veteran of PC Magazine's Labs (most recently as Director of Operations), John was responsible for the recruitment, training and management of the Labs technical staff, as well as evaluating and maintaining the integrity of the Labs testing machines and procedures.

Prior to joining Ziff Davis Publishing, John spent six years in retail operations for Federated Stores, Inc. before accepting a purchasing position with Morris Decision Systems, one of New York's first value-added resellers of the original IBM PC. For ... See Full Bio